spacetoday.net: ILS to launch Sirius, S2M satellites

Posted: Sat, Mar 1, 2008, 3:46 PM ET (2046 GMT)
Proton launch of Thor 5 (ILS)

International Launch Services announced this week that it had won contracts to launch two spacecraft for Sirius Satellite Radio as well as one for a new Middle Eastern operator. ILS announced Friday that Sirius had awarded the launch services company contracts for two launches, one of which will be used for the Sirius FM-6 satellite in the fourth quarter of 2010 on a Proton M. The satellite will be placed in a highly elliptical orbit similar to those used by the three Sirius satellites currently in operation. Sirius also purchased a second launch, but has not identified a payload for that mission. Earlier in the week ILS announced that S2M. a new mobile TV company based in Dubai, will launch its first satellite on a Proton M. No launch date was announced for the S2M satellite.